Is a Foodborne Illness Coming to Dinner?

Salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli may not be on the guest list at your next dinner party, but they could be lurking on or near your carefully prepared meal. These bacteria cause the most common foodborne illnesses. It is estimated that more than 76 million Americans become ill by consuming contaminated foods or beverages, and 5,000 people die from foodborne diseases
each year.

Food for Thought
"Foodborne diseases are mainly infections caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses and parasites," says Anisha Waxali, M.D., internal medicine physician on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. "These pathogens can be introduced into food during growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping or final preparation. Raw meat and poultry can become contaminated during slaughter."

Foods can also be subject to contamination during preparation at home or in a restaurant. Infected humans who handle food can spread a foodborne illness. Microbes can also be transferred from one food to another by using the same knife, cutting board or other utensils to prepare different foods without washing the utensils or surface in between. Fully cooked food can become contaminated if it touches other raw foods or drippings from raw foods that contain pathogens. Undercooked food is another contributor to foodborne illness. And, food that is cooked and left out for more than two hours is susceptible to bacteria.

Detecting Foodborne Disease
"Foodborne illness can strike anyone, but young children, pregnant women and their babies, the elderly and people with lowered immunity are at greatest risk,"
Dr. Waxali explains.

Symptoms of a foodborne illness are similar to intestinal flu. The symptoms can persist for several hours or a few days and can range from mild to serious.
They include:

• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Dehydration

Most cases of foodborne illness are mild and can be treated by increasing fluid intake. In more severe situations, the patient may need hospitalization to receive nutritional and medical therapy.

Prepare with Care
"Proper cooking or processing of food can prevent most cases of foodborne illness," adds Dr. Waxali. She suggests keeping harmful bacteria away from your next
meal by:

• Cooking food to 145 degrees for roasts, steaks and chops of beef, veal and lamb; 160 degrees for pork, ground veal and ground beef; 165 degrees for ground poultry; and 180 degrees for whole poultry
• Keeping raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices away from other foods that are ready to eat
• Cleaning surfaces before preparing food on them
• Washing hands before touching food, after using the bathroom and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or eggs
• Refrigerating or freezing perishables, prepared food and leftovers within
  two hours
• Marinating food in the refrigerator
• Defrosting food in the refrigerator or microwave on the defrost setting, or by running cold water over it.